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PLUM committee advances Boyle Heights plan changes, Council aide backs higher inclusionary set‑aside in river‑adjacent area
Summary
The PLUM Committee approved Planning Department recommendations to advance Boyle Heights Community Plan updates and directed staff to pursue higher inclusionary housing set‑asides in river‑adjacent areas; community groups pressed for deeper affordability and local‑preference policies.
The Planning and Land Use Management Committee on Wednesday advanced a package of changes to the Boyle Heights Community Plan, including direction to the Planning Department to prepare ordinances that would raise mandatory inclusionary housing set‑asides for very low‑income households in river‑adjacent areas from 17% to 22%.
Emma Morton, planning deputy for Councilmember Isabel Gerardo, told the committee the office supports items 9, 10 and 11 and the proposed change for the Los Angeles River area, saying the update "protects existing residential neighborhoods while directing new housing growth to transit corridors" and asking the committee to instruct the department to prepare implementing ordinances.
Community groups and neighborhood residents urged the committee to go further. "We really need deep, deeply equitable development that does not threaten our community," said Jasmine of the Eastside Leads coalition, who urged stronger tenant protections, local‑preference policies and higher requirements for extremely low‑income units. Kaho Maeda, an attorney with Public Counsel, said the coalition "strongly urge[s] you to approve items nine, ten and 11 and finalize the update in order to protect the community's long‑time residents."
The committee placed the trio of items on the consent calendar after the public comment period and approved them by a five‑member vote. The motion, as presented, asks the Planning Department to align Boyle Heights incentives with state density‑bonus rules and to include language authorizing limited technical corrections to implementing ordinances for one year.
Why it matters: Boyle Heights faces intense development pressure that residents and advocates say is displacing low‑income tenants and legacy small businesses. The adopted direction aims to balance added affordability requirements with development feasibility; several community groups said additional steps — including local‑preference policies and stronger enforcement of community benefit agreements — remain necessary.
What’s next: The committee approved instructing the Planning Department to prepare ordinances for Council consideration. Those ordinances, if drafted, will return to the Council for final action and possible adoption of the updated inclusionary requirements and implementing rules.
